clay pigeon shooting
#22
Okay, first off, if you're using a hand thrower or a Wal Mart spring thrower, use a Skeet choke. As someone else said, success breeds confidence, and anything tighter than a skeet choke with a hand thrower is ridiculous.
Secondly, point the gun, don't aim it. It's not a rifle, it's a shotgun. If you're shooting with 1 eye closed, you're doing it wrong. You need to learn to shoot instictively, and thinking about leads and anything else is going to cause you to miss targets/birds. When I stopped shooting sporting clays for a couple of years, I went back and found myself hitting 20 less targets (out of 100) than I used to average, and it was all because I was overthinking. A few times rabbit hunting fixed it because I didn't have time to think: it was just point and shoot.
Lastly, and most importantly, make yourself keep swinging the gun after the shot. Focus on it. Exagerate it. Do it to the point that everyone around you is laughing at you. If you're stopping the gun when you pull the trigger, then you're actually stopping the gun BEFORE you pull the trigger. You need to train yourself to follow through on your shots, if you don't then you're going to be behind the bird every single time.
I've shot skeet since I was 7, and sporting clays since I was 12. I'm 25 now, and what I've learned in that time is that I miss birds because I'm overthinking or because I'm not following through on my shots. I used to be able to run a 25 straight every day I shot skeet, because I was just shooting. After getting away from shooting sports for a while, I found myself trying to remember leads and then trying to get my gun the correct distance in front of the target and pulling the trigger and stopping the gun.
Shoulder the gun, swing it left and right, get a good feel and make sure to shut off your brain. Just point and shoot, and you'll start hitting more birds.
Secondly, point the gun, don't aim it. It's not a rifle, it's a shotgun. If you're shooting with 1 eye closed, you're doing it wrong. You need to learn to shoot instictively, and thinking about leads and anything else is going to cause you to miss targets/birds. When I stopped shooting sporting clays for a couple of years, I went back and found myself hitting 20 less targets (out of 100) than I used to average, and it was all because I was overthinking. A few times rabbit hunting fixed it because I didn't have time to think: it was just point and shoot.
Lastly, and most importantly, make yourself keep swinging the gun after the shot. Focus on it. Exagerate it. Do it to the point that everyone around you is laughing at you. If you're stopping the gun when you pull the trigger, then you're actually stopping the gun BEFORE you pull the trigger. You need to train yourself to follow through on your shots, if you don't then you're going to be behind the bird every single time.
I've shot skeet since I was 7, and sporting clays since I was 12. I'm 25 now, and what I've learned in that time is that I miss birds because I'm overthinking or because I'm not following through on my shots. I used to be able to run a 25 straight every day I shot skeet, because I was just shooting. After getting away from shooting sports for a while, I found myself trying to remember leads and then trying to get my gun the correct distance in front of the target and pulling the trigger and stopping the gun.
Shoulder the gun, swing it left and right, get a good feel and make sure to shut off your brain. Just point and shoot, and you'll start hitting more birds.
#23
Spike
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Montana
Posts: 5
[QUOTE=Hoyt HavocTec;3805230]
point the gun, don't aim it. It's not a rifle, it's a shotgun. QUOTE]
Best advice I ever got! Once someone showed me that point, I immediately went from shooting 12-15/25 to 20-23/25.
Also, I don't know how good this works, but it worked for me: The guy that owned the range would count "one-thousand-one" after he threw the pigeon. If I hadn't shot by the time he counted that out in his head, I was taking too long. If someone can count that out by the time you shoot, you are most likely aiming, not pointing.
point the gun, don't aim it. It's not a rifle, it's a shotgun. QUOTE]
Best advice I ever got! Once someone showed me that point, I immediately went from shooting 12-15/25 to 20-23/25.
Also, I don't know how good this works, but it worked for me: The guy that owned the range would count "one-thousand-one" after he threw the pigeon. If I hadn't shot by the time he counted that out in his head, I was taking too long. If someone can count that out by the time you shoot, you are most likely aiming, not pointing.
#25
Spike
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 1
Lol, I think I am in the exact same condition, I have just starting sport shooting, and um currently practicing on TRAP, and boy I really suck at it. But my father is a great shooter, I am trying to learn the art from him and from this forum!
#27
I shoot sporting clays quite frrequently, and I find myself using a skeet choke most of the time. Like everone else has said. Most shooters tend to shoot behind their target and not follow thru on their swing. If you have a chance to shoot 5 stand or wobble with a skeet choke I would do it. Remember to shoot where the target is going to be, not where it is. Good luck. I know with a little practice it will pay off for you.
#28
#29
The best gun to have for trap is a double barrel..one with i.c. and the other with mod. Best of both worlds when shooting doubles.
#30
I started shooting skeet in high school to get better on the dove fields and better at quail shots. I always started at a low gun position to practice that hunting scenario and still shoot skeet like that today. Skeet is the best thing I EVER did to hone my hunting shooting skills for in the field! Learn it, shoot it, and you'll love it. Trap will come easy to you after that. Sporting Clays...yes and no...depends on how difficult the course you shoot. lol
Trap: I usually shoot Mod. for 16 yd.
Sporting Clays: I find myself shooting Skeet bottom barrel & Mod. top barrel a lot. But I will change it up depending on the circumstances. Single barrel gun, Mod. is a good overall choice...if nothing else, you should get better over time and when you switch to IMP or skeet choke it'll seem like shooting fish in a barrel.
Trap: I usually shoot Mod. for 16 yd.
Sporting Clays: I find myself shooting Skeet bottom barrel & Mod. top barrel a lot. But I will change it up depending on the circumstances. Single barrel gun, Mod. is a good overall choice...if nothing else, you should get better over time and when you switch to IMP or skeet choke it'll seem like shooting fish in a barrel.